Nuggets boost playoff bid vs Bucks

DENVER – Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 13 rebounds, Jamal Murray scored 18 of his 27 points after the third quarter and the Denver Nuggets rallied from eight down in the final minute of regulation to beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 128-125, in overtime Sunday night.

Paul Millsap had 26 points and 13 rebounds for Denver, which took over in the extra period to strengthen its playoff chances.

The Nuggets (42-35) moved within a game of eighth-place New Orleans, which lost its fourth straight Sunday, and 1 1/2 games of Minnesota, which also lost.

Jabari Parker scored a season-high 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe had 31 points for Milwaukee (41-36). The Bucks’ magic number for clinching a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference remains at two.

Milwaukee was in control when Giannia Antetokounmpo, who had 18 points and 12 rebounds, fouled out with 3:43 left in regulation and the Bucks leading 107-97.

Ahead 111-108, the Bucks had a chance to ice it in the final seconds, but Murray stole Khris Middleton’s inbound pass and was fouled by Jason Terry on a 3-point try with 2.8 seconds left. He made three free throws to tie it, and after Bledsoe turned it over, Jokic missed a shot at the buzzer.

Denver scored the first five points of overtime and led by seven with 35 seconds left but needed two free throws from little-used Malik Beasley with 7.1 seconds left after the Bucks cut it to one.

Parker missed an off-balance 3-pointer at the end.

In New Orleans, Russell Westbrook got better as the game went along and ended up where he so often does – with a triple-double, finishing with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder over the New Orleans Pelicans, 109-104.

In other results, Philadelphia tripped Charlotte, 119-102; Chicago stunned Washington, 113-94; San Antonio stopped Houston, 100-83; Atlanta repulsed Orlando, 94-88; Detroit trounced Brooklyn, 108-96; Cleveland repelled Dallas, 98-87; Utah crushed Minnesota, 121-97; Golden State held off Phoenix, 117-107; Portland smothered Memphis, 113-98; the Sacramento Kings nipped the Los Angeles Lakers, 84-83; and the Indiana Pacers clipped the Los Angeles Clippers, 111-104.

Back in New Orleans, Westbrook didn’t score in the first quarter but got his game together eventually. He had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in the fourth quarter.

Paul George scored Oklahoma City’s first 11 points of the second quarter and finished with 27. Carmelo Anthony added and Steven Adams had 14.

‘’We got great contributions from everybody,’’ Thunder coach Billy Donovan said, ‘’and we needed great contributions from everybody.’’

The Pelicans got within 104-99 with 1:57 left, but Westbrook scored on a layup, and after a basket by Anthony Davis, George made a 3-pointer.

Davis led the Pelicans with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but took just two shots and scored seven points in the fourth quarter.